Visitors to Louisville and of course, the home folk of this southern metropolis, place Chef Kathy Cary and her restaurant Lilly's on any short list of places to chow down. It is hands down a true fine dining experience in every aspect.

The subject of a brief feature in the October/November 2011 edition of Garden and Gun, the Louisville chef touted her own short list of 8 must visit places. Among these places that Chef Cary can's live without is Col. Bill Newsom's Aged Kentucky Country Ham in Princeton: Top-notch quality ham cured and aged to perfection.

Much of Kathy Cary's inspiration derives from her knowledge and love of Kentucky, where she learned to love food at an early age in her mother's kitchen. After apprenticing to a Cordon Bleu-trained chef in Washington, D.C., she started a small catering firm there and then became a chef at a stylish Georgetown restaurant. She returned to Kentucky, married songwriter/musician Will Cary, and opened her first La Peche gourmet-to-go shop in 1979.

Lilly's opened 24 (26) years ago, with its award-winning interior designed by Will, and an award-winning, ever-changing menu that makes use of local products from local producers.